2002 Spring Arbor Road, Suite C, Jackson(517) 782-0900
For some patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, a custom oral appliance helps keep the airway open through the night.
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly. Signs include loud snoring and feeling tired after a full night's sleep, and it can affect your overall health and quality of life.
For some patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, an oral appliance keeps the throat open by moving the lower jaw forward or holding the tongue in a different position. Better sleep reduces the effects of fatigue on mind and body. Dr. McFerran assesses your condition and recommends treatment.
A healthy diet and weight lower the risk, and regular exercise can improve the condition. Alcohol and tobacco make sleep apnea worse. The team can talk you through other ways to help.
A dentist can screen for signs of sleep-disordered breathing, but a formal diagnosis usually needs a sleep study, and dentists often work with physicians on it.
For certain patients it can be, especially when CPAP is hard to tolerate.
It depends on your plan. Oral appliance therapy may be covered when it is prescribed after a confirmed diagnosis.